Masks rarely cover the eyes and are known to become less effective when wet, with us all having moisture in our breath.

With the coronavirus potentially surviving on fabric, people may also mistakenly contaminate their hands when they go to take the mask off.

“People are always re-adjusting their masks and that has the potential to contaminate them,” said France's head of health Jerome Salomon.

“If someone has come across the virus, it's surely going to be on the mask.”

Research suggests gloves and masks are effective in clinical settings, like hospitals.

This may be because doctors theoretically throw them away after every use, with the buildings also being disinfected regularly.

“There is little evidence to support the use of face masks or gloves outside of the clinical setting (e.g. treating a patient) to prevent becoming infected”, said Dr Tom Wingfield, from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine.

Nevertheless, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends patients wear a mask if they suspect they have the coronavirus and are around other people.

“Patients with confirmed or suspected [coronavirus] should wear a face mask until they are isolated in a hospital or at home,” it states.